Escaping the Zora
by EbonyShroud
Summary: Link has decided to stop the wedding that the Princess Zora, Ruto, had planned. Now, he has to deal with the furious girl, who won't take no as an answer.


It was a bright sunny day over Death Mountain. All of the monsters that had prowled the mountainside had disappeared, the gorons still had access to their mines, and there was only the sound of the brisk afternoon breeze drifting in the air. That is until a sudden scream split the air and a flash of green raced out from a huge open stone door. Several Gorons laughed as the youth scrambled down the mountainside to safety. He only stopped when he was safely back in the village, called Kakariko Village, at the base of the mountain. He sat down, gasping for breath and looking back to make sure that no one had followed him to the village.

"I was just returning the Goron Ruby, too bad it caused them all to have the mad desire to give me a hug. If even one managed to, they would crush me," The boy said, shaking his head at the very idea of getting a hug from one of the large gorons. He was a young boy, maybe eleven, with blond hair sticking out from under his long green cap and light blue eyes sparkling in the sun. He wore a green tunic, with a brown belt and boots. Over his shoulder, he carried the Kokiri Sword and Shield. This boy, ignored by the many workers bustling around, was the Hero of Time, Link. Or was, as he was sent back in time where Ganondorf had not yet taken over. Princess Zelda had promised him, just before he departed with the three Spiritual Stones given to him by each race, that she would stop him.

"Now, the next jewel to return is the…oh great." Link muttered as he took out the Zora Sapphire from his pouch and stared at it. The bright-blue jewel had been given to him by a bratty, stuck-up, I-am-a-princess-so-I-do-not-need-help Zora named Princess Ruto. He had to carry the girl over his head when Lord Jabu-Jabu had eaten her. He would have left her there too, for the way she yelled at him for going into the stomach of the huge fish, but she was also the holder of the Sapphire. After having to battle through the fish, listen to the annoying and mostly useless prattle of Navi, and carry the fish-girl around when they finally got out of the giant fish, she decided to give the sapphire on one condition. The condition was that he would marry her. At first, when he took it he had absolutely no idea what she meant. Now that he did, he was more than willing to bring it back. But he did not want to see that fish-girl again. Sighing, he checked to see that he had a bottled fairy as he started to trek up river.

* * *

"I am sorry, kid, but our Princess has already retired for the night. The Princess has not been feeling well lately," Link gave a sigh of relief from what he heard from the princess's father, King Zora; he could escape from the domain alive.

"Okay, can you give this to her and say I called it off?" Link handed the Zora King the sapphire.

"Called off what?" The huge king asked in confusion, glaring down at Link from his high throne as if his glare would make Link explain what he meant.

"Don't worry, she'll know what I am talking about," Link said, a faint smile erupting despite his attempts to squash it. She had not told him about the 'marriage arrangement'. All the better for Link.

"Very well," The king said, the confusion still heavy in his voice. Link gave him a short bow and then ran as fast as he could out of the domain.

Several hours later, Link was safe inside his house in Kokiri Forest, placing everything he had collected on his journey into hiding places all around the small room. He had already delivered the last of the Spiritual Stones, the Kokiri Emerald, to the Great Deku Tree Sprout and said hello to Saria. The green-haired girl was one of the sages, so she remembered everything just like Link had. She made him promise to talk with her in the morning and he agreed, somewhat reluctantly. Finally pleased with how he arranged everything, he went over to his long-forsaken bed and lay down. He smiled as he fell asleep, glad that it was finally over.

* * *

"Link! **Link**!** Where are you?**" He could hear a girl's voice, high-pitched and annoying. For one terrifying moment, he thought that the dreaded Navi returned and woke up with a start. There was no glowing ball of terror but he could still hear the voice screaming. He looked out the window and saw a nightmare. The Zora Princess along with two body guards were standing ankle-deep in the small river that had flowed through Kokiri Village. The little Zora, her face dark purple in rage, was yelling and causing a commotion with many unhappy children.

"_**Link! Where are you, you stinkin' coward! Get out here!**_" Her latest scream was accompanied by a snick and Link turned to see one of his bombchus, to his horror, had reacted to the shrill screaming and started to race around the small house. The kid barely had enough time to run out the door when the bombchu exploded, setting off the rest of his bomb supply and demolishing his house. Everything he had collected, luckily, was protected by magic placed on it by one of the fairies on his travels, but they were flung everywhere. Link looked shocked at the burned remains of his tree house, inwardly cursing the Princess.

"Link! There you are! Why did you return the Zora Sapphire?" Ruto exclaimed as Link stalked over to her, raging at the dumbfound girl.

"Because now that Hyrule is safe, I have no need for it, so I returned it to its rightful owner." The boy snarled.

"But, it's our engagement ring! You need it!" She sniffed before holding the sapphire out for him to take.

"You tricked me. I had no choice, I was told to get the three Spiritual Stones to save Hyrule. You were the one that decided to make it an engagement present!" He yelled. The princess scowled at him, she was not used to being told no.

"You will marry me, Link. It is my will and the Zoras follow my will." She hissed angrily, practically shaking in fury.

"What's going on over here? Is someone fighting again?" Saria asked, pushing her way through the crowd of sleepy and angry Kokiri. She noticed the two, purple in rage, and stopped.

"Link is coming with me to be my husband, like he promised," Princess Ruto growled, glaring angrily at her fellow sage. At hearing this, Saria suddenly grew angry.

"So, it was you that forced Link into that stupid engagement, you rotten fish." Link stared at Saria, he had never seen her so angry. She was always such a calm, sweet girl. Apparently, neither did the princess, for her expression shifted from fury to shock. However, the anger quickly came back.

"Forced what, he chose to accept!" She yelled back.

"Yeah, right. So many people told him that unless he got the Spiritual Stones, Hyrule would be cast into eternal shadow. And when he saved you, carrying you even though you were selfish and rude and yelled at him for anything, you forced him into an arrangement that not only did he not understand, but did not want once he discovered it!" Now Saria was bright red, glaring at the fish-girl.

"What do you know about this matter? Absolutely nothing! Now, let's go." Princess Ruto screamed, then grabbed Link and started to walk away.

"Oh, no you don't!" Saria screamed, then launched herself at Ruto. Link quickly got away as the Saria struck the fish-girl. It started a girl-fight, well, half of one. Ruto fought like a girl, slapping and screaming. Saria fought like a wolfos, biting and punching and scratching at the girl. Everyone just looked on in utter shock. When the battle ended, Saria dragged the flailing Zora up the slope and chucked her headfirst into Lost Woods.

"Don't come back, you freak!" Saria yelled after her. The two bodyguards raced past her, wondering if they were going to get into trouble. The Forest Sage returned to the group, ignoring their shocked faces staring at her.

"Ready for breakfast?" She asked Link sweetly. The poor boy just stared at her, too shocked to speak.

* * *

**This one-shot is the beginning of the Unwanted Love Trilogy. The sequel to this story is The Deranged Zora. Thank you for reading the story.**


End file.
